Scenes From A Curse
by JunoInferno
Summary: Beatrice Gold grows up in Cursed Storybrooke. One shots. Super AU companion piece to my fic Voyage of Discovery.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Notes: I do not own Once Upon A Time which is a show on ABC where we've had like one Rumbelle kiss this season. This is a companion piece for my fic Voyage of Discovery which centers around Beatrice, Belle and Rumplestiltskin's daughter. It's obviously AU. This fic will feature scenes in no particular order for Beatrice's life in Cursed Storybrooke, with a lot of AU Season One. It's just AU, okay? Thanks again, please let me know what you think and happy reading!

* * *

><p><em>Father-Daughter Date at the movies. I also don't own The Hunger Games. I think I just read too many Hunger Games AUs. <em>

* * *

><p><em><strong>2012 <strong>_

"Rumple..."

"I have business to attend to," Gold protested, trying to ignore the disapproving glare on Belle's face. She followed him even as he tried to move out the door.

Belle narrowed the distance between them. "You promised this. You two desperately need a night out together."

Belle seemed to think she was right and to anyone else, the advice might have seemed sound, but he was certain Beatrice was lost to him, ever since she had found Regina's wall of hearts. They had barely exchanged two words since and the incident with Miner's Day had just made things worse.

He wasn't certain he could bear her outright rejection. Not now while there was a curse to break and his son to find.

"It's just a movie. Why can't you take her?"

"Because you promised."

"And what am I supposed to do about Miss Blanchard?"

"Were you going to go hold her hand all night?," asked Belle. "I want you to help Mary Margaret as much as anyone, but you're using that as an excuse. You need time with your daughter just as much as she needs time with you."

"She barely looks at me," he scoffed.

"Because you need to talk to her," she admonished and his eyes shot up at her. "I am willing to forego that in favor of you taking her to the movies. Spend time with her."

Gold sighed. "What is this nonsense anyway?"

"The Hunger Games and don't call it nonsense. Beatrice really likes the books."

"I thought it was one of those things this world had like the one about the girl and the sparkly vampire."

Belle scowled. "We had a rule to never bring up Twilight in this house."

They heard Beatrice descend the steps.

"Hey," said Belle.

"Hey," Beatrice said suspiciously.

"Dad's going to take you to see The Hunger Games," said Belle.

Beatrice looked at Gold. "Really?"

"If you still wish it."

She hesitated. She was just as unsure as he was.

"Well, I mean, it is the first time we've actually gotten a movie in Storybrooke on the day it came out," said Beatrice. "Like we just got The World Is Not Enough last year. That was a whole James Bond ago. How do people not suspect anything?"

"So you'd like to go?," Gold asked.

"Yeah. I mean, if you want to go," said Beatrice. "I know it's not your thing."

"I'm sure Dad will love it," Belle answered for him.

* * *

><p>Carthay Circle Theatre was Storybrooke's only cinema. It was a beautiful old building that Mr. Gold owned of course, but ill-attended and with only two small screens. It had never had anything first run before. He and Beatrice hardly exchanged two words before they ordered from the concession counter and then they sat down. The theater was mostly full which Gold thought must have been due to the new film. Belle tried to allude that the books were immensely popular outside Storybrooke though such things rarely mattered inside Regina's curse. He suspected this change had something to do with the Savior's continued presence.<p>

"What's the story?," Gold asked Beatrice while they waited for it to start.

"Oh," said Beatrice. "Well, there's like this post-apocalyptic world and there's like twelve districts and every year they pick two teenagers from each to fight to the death on TV."

"What?" Gold was stunned. What the hell sort of story was this? This was hardly suitable for his Beatrice. He was very tempted to call Belle then and ask if she knew just what was in this movie. He decided against when he remembered it was a book and Belle would have obviously read it. He was the one without a clue what was going on.

"There's some sort of long story about there was a rebellion and the people in thecapitol decided this would be the punishment. It's messed up."

"Indeed," said Gold. It was reminding him too much of the way things were back in the Enchanted Forest. "And the people in the districts, they're the peasants?"

She eyed him, put off by his odd word choice. He and Belle had tried speaking more freely of their home in front of her. She just stared at them as if they had two heads, even after having seen the Evil Queen's magical cache. "Yeah, I guess. They have to work for the capital..."

The lights went down and Gold settled in. The story began in some province and seemed to follow around a young peasant girl. Then it seemed that the peasant children had to go somewhere and be selected.

Gold shifted uncomfortably. He looked to Beatrice as she ate popcorn. She was just watching a movie.

"That's not battle, that's a sacrifice." He remembered the words he had said to Bae those centuries ago. He found he was quickly developing a disdain for these peasants, these people that just let the soldiers take their children. Morraine's parents had attempted to fight Hordor and his men, but many more hadn't seen the point or that they even had the right to fight for their children's lives.

"Dad."

Gold didn't know what she wanted at first. His natural instinct was that she must have found the film scary and wanted to leave or be cuddled like when she'd seen The Lion King. A glance of her eyes to his hand made him realize that he was gripping her wrist.

He quickly released it and tried to get his hand back to his own armrest.

The movie was too close to Rumplestiltskin's life for comfort. The nobles didn't care, the peasants could do nothing but die, but he was starting to like the peasant girl, Katniss. The one who was brave enough to sacrifice herself for her sister. She had learned the nobles' game and was playing it herself.

Then she got stupid.

The lights went up. Beatrice turned to Gold as the rest of the theatergoers made their way to the exit.

"So, what did you think?"

Gold shook his head.

"Did she even like that baker boy?"

"Well, it's kind of hard to tell sometimes," she admitted.

"Why would she do something so stupid?"

"What do you mean?"

Gold turned back to his daughter. "Her suicide pact. Why would she do something so idiotic?"

"Well, it worked..."

"It doesn't matter that it worked. He could have turned on her, the games makers could have just let them both die, they don't give a damn about them. That villainous president knows exactly what she did and isn't going to leave her alone. She ought to have killed him."

He stopped and waited for Beatrice's response. Belle would have admonished him, Bae would have protested.

Beatrice shrugged. "I guess you have a point."

"I do?"

He hadn't expected it. He knew Beatrice possessed her mother's nobility, her kindness. From time to time, Belle would point out attributes that Beatrice got from him and he would dismiss her because everything that was glorious about Beatrice came from Belle.

Cunning. Had Beatrice gotten his cunning? It was something he both prized and hated in himself. With Beatrice, it was tempered by Belle's heart, it could be used for good.

She finally continued. "I mean, it would kind have ruined the next two books and three movies, but yeah, you have a point."

Well, count on Belle's daughter to worry about how a matter of life and death would have affected the next book.

"You're doing it again."

He looked down. His hand was once again fastened around her wrist.

"I would never let anything like that happen to you."

She must have thought he was crazy. He just had to say it. Ever since he knew Belle was pregnant he had been obsessed with the idea of protecting Beatrice, of making certain she had anything she might have ever wanted, of never letting anyone near her, to do everything he hadn't been able to do for Bae.

That's why he hated those peasants. They reminded him too much of himself and if the spinner's daughter had been taken to fight ogres or kill children on television there would have been nothing he could do about it.

"I know," said Beatrice and there was no hint of doubt on her face. She had never met the spinner, she didn't know what a coward he could be.

He must have been quiet too long because she spoke again.

"Look, if I'm ever in The Hunger Games, I promise I'll kill the boy from my district I only kind of like."

"Thank you," said Gold.

Beatrice got up and Gold followed. He could feel them drifting back to the awkward silence that had plagued them, when it wasn't yelling or sniping.

"Would you like some frozen yogurt?," asked Gold. "We could stop by on the way home."

That would delay it a little while anyway.

"Okay," said Beatrice.

"Okay."


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Notes: I do not own Once Upon A Time which is a show on ABC where they used to have this character called Belle... Sorry. I'm a little bitter. Thank you for your reads and reviews and follows. Like I said, I have a few of these planned. Please let me know what you think and happy reading!

_Lady comes to live with the Golds. _

* * *

><p><em><strong>2002<strong>_

Eighteen years, eleven months, four days.

That was how long it had been since the Dark Curse was enacted. Gold tried not to count. It was an ordeal and at the end of it he was no better off than when he started. He was still years from the Savior's arrival. He had lived so long years ought to have flown by like days, but this Curse made them interminable. Merlin had warned him against dwelling and he hated to prove the elder sorcerer right. It was all so tiresome. The same routine, the same rents to collect, the same people in the shop, not buying anything. Even Storybrooke's annual events tended to go exactly as they always had.

He wondered exactly how far he had twisted Regina's mind to his advantage that she thought this a victory.

He did have one advantage over the rest of the town, though. He had Belle and he had Beatrice.

It was a rainy late September day and the humidity made his leg throb more than usual. He went into the kitchen to find Belle tossing a salad.

"What are you doing?," he asked.

Belle smiled. "Salad and pasta, Rumple. I can manage that."

"I don't mind cooking." Gold looked around. His daughter was usually at her mother's feet. "Where is Beatrice?"

Belle put the salad on the table.

"She's been playing on her own all afternoon," said Belle.

"Doing what?"

"Something in her playhouse, some secret," Belle said with an amused smile.

Gold stood and walked towards the window. Beatrice's playhouse was a perfect miniature copy of the big pink Victorian. "A secret?"

Belle smiled. "It's not as if it could be anything bad. She's just a little girl."

"It's raining."

"I made sure she wore her coat. You worry too much."

Such an optimist. Gold decided to go out back and walked over to the playhouse.

He knocked on the door.

"You can't come in."

"Why not?"

"Uh, I'm busy."

Gold frowned. The playhouse didn't even have a lock.

"Beatrice, open the door."

There was a growl. Gold's mind immediately went to some non-sensical thing it might be from the Enchanted Forest, briefly forgetting that he was in Maine. Still, Maleficent was a dragon under the library. He opened the door and bent down where he discovered the fearsome creature was...

A Cocker Spaniel. Brown with reddish ears, a brass tag on her collar that read "Lady." Beatrice wrapped her arms around the creature. Gold thought he remembered the animal from a rent call on the Darling house. A couple overwhelmed by a baby and an elderly aunt that was a piece of work. There were also two Siamese cats and therehad been something of a row.

"Please don't make her leave."

Gold looked. Beatrice had spare linens made into a nest for the dog and there was a bowl of water from the china collection that sat on the hutch in the dining room, accompanied by another one that must have been for food.

"Don't make her leave. Her family kicked her out and the dog catcher was after her and they hurt dogs at the pound!"

Gold didn't answer. Beatrice wrapped her arms even tighter around the dog.

"She can stay in here and she won't bother anyone! I'll take good care of her!"

"What have you been feeding her?"

"Dinner."

"Well, Beatrice, I'm afraid your friend can't stay out here."

Her eyes grew big and full of water. "Please, Daddy, she won't bother you-"

"It's too cold out here, sweetheart. She can only stay if you bring her into the house."

"What?"

"And she'll have to sleep in your room. We wouldn't want her to get lonely."

Beatrice's eyes widened.

"She can stay?"

Gold smiled. It was rare that anyone looked grateful to him, rare that he saw anything but the same half vacant, half weary expression as he took their money.

Not Beatrice, though. Her eyes were bright and full of love.

He broke the guise of the pawnbroker and smiled.

"Of course she can. If you wish it."

In an instant, Beatrice released her grasp of the dog and rushed to throw her arms around Gold's neck.

"Thank you, Daddy! I love you! I love you!"

Gold chuckled as he hugged her back. "I love you, too, sweetheart. Now let's get your friend inside."


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Notes: i do not own Once Upon A Time or Sherlock, which is a shame on so many levels. Thanks for your reads and reviews. I really appreciate them. Please let me know what you think and happy reading!

This chapter: NamelessWildflower gave me a prompt for this set that Bea watches BBC's Sherlock with Gold. I might have veered off a little, but I hope this works.

* * *

><p><em><strong>2010<strong>_

Gold entered his house. He heard the television on from the door and he could easily tell that Beatrice was watching something.

It was the English accents. He found his daughter on the couch with a bowl of popcorn, settled for some serious television watching.

"Sweetheart," he said and glanced at the TV. "I thought Doctor Who was over."

"Yeah, no, this is Sherlock."

Gold froze. "What's that?"

"It's this show about Sherlock Holmes, only it's like modern London. It's from the guy who writes Doctor Who now."

"Right..."

Gold walked into the kitchen.

"You're home," said Belle. She kissed him. "We saved you some dinner."

He glanced over to the sink where the nanny was. "Pamela, won't you excuse us?"

"Yes, Mr. Gold."

She left. Belle looked at Gold curiously.

"She's watching a show called Sherlock."

Belle shrugged. "Okay."

"Sherlock."

"Rumple, every time this happens you panic. It's not as if it's a documentary or something. She thinks he's just a story."

"Yet you and I know better. We know all stories come from somewhere."

"Don't be silly. You saw what they did to us in this land."

"Yes, you were a smart, beautiful, capable young woman and I was..." He frowned. "What was I supposed to be?"

Belle shook her head. "I'm not sure. Come on. I'll sit with you while you eat."

"No, I think I'll go sit with her."

"You're being ridiculous."

Gold went and sat on the sofa next to Beatrice.

"Have I missed much?"

Beatrice turned to him in surprise. "You want to watch?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't I?"

"I thought you didn't like Sherlock Holmes."

"I wouldn't say that."

"Well, you always get weird when Sherlock Holmes comes up."

"I do not," said Gold.

"You stop talking and you scowl," said Beatrice. "Though it's not as bad as when I wanted to watch Hook."

"It was not appropriate."

"It was rated PG."

Gold motioned at the TV, eager to move on from the thousand or so reasons why they were never going to watch Hook.

"I will watch Sherlock now."

"Let's start with the riding crop..."

Gold watched as the seemingly mad young detective began beating a corpse.

He looked to his left. Beatrice seemed transfixed.

"Beatrice."

"What? Oh my God, I was just watching the show."

"Um, who's the woman?"

"Oh, I don't know. What did he call her? Molly?"

"Excuse me."

Gold got up and went to the library. Belle was curled up with a book.

"Who's Molly?"

Belle shook her head.

"On the Sherlock show, some woman called Molly is on it and she's trying to flirt with him."

"I don't know. I don't remember a character called Molly in any of the books." She shrugged. "Maybe the writers just made her up."

"We both know there's no such thing."

"Rumple..."

"There is some woman called Molly out there that's going to flirt with him."

"And what would you like me to do about it?"

"Fine. Be that way," he muttered as he left.

* * *

><p>Belle looked up again thirty minutes later as the door to the library open and shut.<p>

"What exactly is going on between Holmes and this Watson?"

"What?"

"You heard me."

Belle frowned. "I heard you, but I still don't know what you mean."

"I've lived hundreds of years, Belle. Don't think I'm so naïve."

"You think there's something going on between Holmes and Watson?"

He scoffed. "And you don't?"

"Rumple, Watson gets married in the second story."

"Alright, even if I believe that, what sort of life is this?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Sherlock will be out playing detective with Watson all night, who's going to watch the children?"

Belle's frown began to feel as if it wouldn't leave. "You're worried about the babysitting arrangements for our non-existent grandchildren?"

"Aren't you?"

"No, Rumple."

"Well, thank the gods I am."

Beatrice's voice called out from the living room. "Dad? Are you coming back?"

Gold grimaced.

"You're basing what you know of this man off a television show, Rumple. You know they don't always get things right in this land."

Disgruntled, Gold returned to the living room.

* * *

><p>Time passed and Belle's tea went cold. She put down her book and realized that the show must have been nearly over. She picked up her mug and headed back to the living room.<p>

She found Beatrice seemed to be engaged in watching some sort of "making of" program and Gold seemed shell-shocked.

"How was it?," asked Belle.

"It was good," said Beatrice. She motioned at the TV. "Still watching."

Gold took Beatrice's hand in hers. She turned to face him with a quizzical look on her face.

"Sweetheart, if I told you that you couldn't marry someone, you would listen, wouldn't you?"

Beatrice looked to Belle for help. "Maybe..."

"Dad and I are going to talk in the kitchen," said Belle, helping Gold off the sofa.

Belle ushered him into the kitchen.

"No, Belle."

"It's a television show, Rumple."

"He is a madman and no way am I letting our daughter marry a madman."

Belle closed the distance between them. "Well, first, that's not your decision to make."

"We'll see about that."

"No, we won't. It's Beatrice's life. She gets to decide what it will be."

"He nearly committed suicide to prove he was right. What sort of husband does that?"

"Maybe the kind who would risk everything to make certain she has her father and her safety..." Belle shook her head. "You already met him. You know he's a good man and you know he loves her. This is about your baby girl growing up someday."

"No it's not. This is about Sherlock Holmes and I am not as mad as your father-"

"What are you guys talking about?"

They looked to see Beatrice coming in the kitchen with her glass and popcorn bowl.

"Nothing, sweetheart," said Belle.

"It didn't sound like nothing."

Belle smiled. "It was. I promise." She broke away from Gold. "So, did you finish all your homework?"

"Yes..." Beatrice groaned.

"Then you ought to be getting to bed," said Gold.

"I have some research to do," said Beatrice.

"Research? You just said you finished your homework," Belle questioned.

"Benedict Cumberbatch research," said Beatrice. "Like where's he been?"

Beatrice left without comment.

"Well," said Belle, turning back to Gold. "Are you happy? She's not in love with Sherlock Holmes, she's in love with Benedict Cumberbatch."

Gold shook his head. "What sort of name is that?"

Belle frowned. "Is that really where you want to go with this?"

"I'm going up there," said Gold.

"Rumple-"

"Don't try to stop me," he said, walking out of the kitchen.

"Don't you dare!," Belle shouted as she went after him.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Notes: I do not own Once Upon A Time which is a show on ABC that just makes you want to scream sometimes. Usually at the midseason finale. I hope this helps. Thanks again for the reads and reviews. Please let me know what you think and happy reading!

_This time Little Letters Writer asked me for something with Young Beatrice. _

* * *

><p>Gold looked up as Belle stormed into the shop. Something had gone wrong.<p>

She knew.

Damn.

"Do you think I'm stupid?," Belle asked.

"What? No, why would-"

"Miss Emden came by the library for story time. It was Babar day."

"Oh. Belle, wait I can explain-"

Belle stalked into the back room.

"Beatrice!"

Gold looked around perplexed. He hadn't immediately spotted her either. A flicker of anxiety was replaced as he noticed the drop cloth in the middle of the room and as he did not recall leaving a small statue in the middle of the floor, that left one possibility.

"Beatrice," said Belle. She pulled the drop cloth off the three-year old. "I am really not so easily fooled."

"Hi, Mommy."

"Did you have fun at school?," Belle asked as she crossed her arms.

Beatrice glanced at her father.

"Uh, yeah..."

Belle threw her hands up and looked back at Gold. "Seriously, is this what's happening? You're teaching our three-year old to lie?"

Gold led Belle back into the main showroom of the shop.

"Oh, so you can tell her to lie to me, but you can't argue in front of her?"

"Belle-"

"Explain it to me. Explain it so I can understand."

Gold sighed. This had to come out.

"Belle, Beatrice doesn't like nursery school."

It wasn't a lie. She didn't. Or at least every morning that it was his turn to drop her off at Sunnyside Nursery School, she begged him to let her accompany him to the shop. A few glances in the rear mirror of the Cadillac at her pleading brown eyes usually distracted him enough to drive right past the cheery little yellow building and at that point, he really might as well just take her to the shop.

"No, you mean you don't like nursery school." She leaned in and lowered her voice. "We agreed to this. Three mornings a week so she doesn't end up like one of those princesses who gets locked in a tower and ends up with no social skills and marries an ogre."

He narrowed his eyes. "That was Shrek. Besides, Beatrice has social skills."

"She spends all day with us or Pamela-"

"And what's the matter with that?"

"You're not helping her by isolating her. She needs to be around other children."

Gold scoffed. "What for? Beatrice doesn't need them."

"She is going back to Sunnyside tomorrow and that's final," said Belle.

He shook his head. "But tomorrow's Tuesday-"

Belle shot him a look. She was done arguing and he, Rumplestiltskin, the great deal maker of the Enchanted Forest, had lost. "She goes back tomorrow."

She darted back in the workroom and gave Beatrice a goodbye with a promise to see her at home.

Gold walked back in. Beatrice emerged from under the cot. Gold sat on a Lambert Hitchcock rocking chair. Beatrice came over.

"Well, sweetheart, I'm afraid that's the end of our little ruse."

Beatrice pouted. "I don't want to go..."

Gold lifted her onto his lap. "I know."

"I don't like them." She rested her head against his shoulder. "I like you."

"Then you'll have to be brave, won't you?" He lifted her chin to look her in the eye. "It's something I've never been very good at, but your mother is the bravest woman I know and you are as magnificent as she is. You know what she says. 'Do the brave thing and bravery will follow.'"

He rocked her a few minutes more then Beatrice broke the silence.

"Want to play tea party?"

"As you wish."


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Notes: I do not own Once Upon A Time which is a show on ABC where we shall conquer angst with fluff. Anyway, thanks for your reads and reviews. I really appreciate them. Please let me know what you think and happy reading!

_Little Letters Writer asked for Gold to knit something for Beatrice. _

* * *

><p>Mary Margaret Blanchard felt the air tense when Mrs. Galloway came to take over her class. She wondered what could possibly be going on as she headed to the principal's office.<p>

Principal Moss was waiting for her. She spotted three sixth grade girls in the chairs outside the office. They had been troublemakers as long as Mary Margaret could remember.

"Miss Blanchard," said Principal Moss. "Good. You're here. I need your help."

Mary Margaret was taken aback. "My help?"

Principal Moss cast a disparaging glance at the three girls and pulled Mary Margaret further away, closer to her office door.

"There's been an incident with Beatrice Gold."

"An incident? Is Beatrice alright?"

"She's fine, but I have the feeling Mr. Gold is not going to be happy."

"Why?"

Principal Moss opened the door to her office and Mary Margaret went inside. Beatrice looked as if she had been crying.

"Beatrice? What's wrong?"

She walked in and the principal shut the door behind her. Upon closer examination she noticed something was amiss with Beatrice's hair. When she looked from straight behind, she gasped and quickly covered her mouth.

It was very obviously shaven down the middle in jagged lines, some parts were nearly bare and all of this contrasted with the thick dark brown locks on either side of Beatrice's head.

"Oh, my God." She took the seat next to the girl. "Beatrice, what happened?"

"Leanna, Monica and Joy trapped me in the coat closet and held me down and shaved my head."

Mary Margaret looked up at Principal Moss.

"Miss Nelson intervened as soon as she could." She looked down at Beatrice. "You will mention that to your father, won't you?"

Beatrice scowled.

"Miss Blanchard, you have to help us. You're the only one he likes. Maybe you could help smooth things over?"

Mary Margaret was appalled. "He doesn't like me. I'm friends with Isabelle and I don't know how I'm supposed to smooth this over with either of them!"

The door opened. The school secretary appeared shaking.

"Mr. and Mrs. Gold are here."

Principal Moss nodded. Storybrooke's most feared couple entered.

"Principal Moss," Gold began. "What exactly brings me here?"

Belle was quicker to cross the room to Beatrice and she saw the damage first. She gasped and covered her mouth much as Mary Margaret had. That was enough to make Gold interested enough to join her.

He pointed at the haircut gone awry.

"What is this?"

"There was an incident..." Principal Moss began.

"That's putting it mildly, dearie," Gold said through gritted teeth.

"Beatrice, what happened?," asked Belle.

"The triplets shaved my head."

Gold looked back up at Moss. "And how did that happen?"

"They held me down in the coat closet."

"Oh, Beatrice," Belle took her daughter in her arms.

"Where is Sheriff Humbert?," asked Gold.

"What?," asked Principal Moss.

"Because this sounds like assault."

"Mr. Gold, we really prefer to resolve these matters in the school."

"Then why are those savages still here?"

"We haven't been able to reach their parents yet."

"Then you're going to expel them?"

"Well, Mr. Gold, this is the only public elementary school in Storybrooke."

"Do I look like I care, dearie? I don't care if we have to take it to the superintendent or even the mayor, I want them punished or I will certainly punish someone."

Belle scowled at him.

Principal Moss shook. "That's not really necessary, Mr. Gold."

"I don't know," said Beatrice. "Have you seen my head?"

* * *

><p>Gold worked on dinner, roast lamb, one of Beatrice's favorites to try to make up for the general rotten nature of the day. Finally, he heard the door open.<p>

"Belle?"

"I look like a freak!"

"Sweetheart-"

Beatrice came in the kitchen. Gold's eyes shot up as he saw what solution had transpired at the salon. Beatrice's hair had been shorn, allowed to stay a little longer up top.

Beatrice swung back towards Belle. "Even he knows it!"

"What the hell happened?," Gold asked. He hadn't thought it possible, but this was worse.

Belle sighed. "You saw it as well as I did. We tried arranging her hair to hide the shaved part-"

"They tried giving me a comb-over," Beatrice spat as she got a soda from the fridge.

"Yes, well, it didn't really work, so we had to cut it off to make it even," Belle explained.

"I look like one of the Three Stooges. The stupid one."

"I'll cut my hair if it will make you feel better," said Belle.

"How will you looking like a freak make me feel better?," Beatrice shot back. She motioned at Gold. "Then Dad's hair would be longest!"

"Sweetheart, it will grow back."

"Yes! Months from now! After everyone has had a chance to point out what a freak I am!"

Beatrice stormed out.

Gold thought of a solution.

* * *

><p>"Good morning, sweetheart."<p>

Beatrice groaned as Gold sat down. "What's good about it?"

"Beatrice, I won't deny you have the most beautiful hair I've seen, but without it, you are still the most beautiful girl I've laid eyes on. Your mother's right. It will grow back. In the meantime, I found you this."

Gold pulled out a black knit beret.

"You found this?"

"I did."

Beatrice sat up and frowned. "We're not allowed to wear hats at school."

"Well, I am certain that I can make Principal Moss see things my way in regard to the dress code," said Gold.

"And we won't tell Mom?"

Gold smiled. "No, we won't."

* * *

><p>Weeks passed and Beatrice took to wearing the black beret. Then she varied it with a gray and a blue that coordinated with the Storybrooke Elementary uniform.<p>

"Hey, Dad," said Beatrice as they sat at dinner.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"This place where you keep getting hats, could you take me?"

Gold looked up. "Well, just tell me what you need."

Beatrice shrugged. "I don't know. Just different hats, I've been wearing these school ones all the time. Maybe like a Gryffindor one to go with my scarf? Hey, is it the same place you got the scarf from?"

"Alright. What else?"

"Like a TARDIS blue one? Maybe purple?"

"I'll see to it."

"But I could just pick them out."

"I have hats you could borrow," Belle offered.

Beatrice wrinkled her nose.

"What's wrong with my hats?," asked Belle.

"Nothing, they're just sort of old... fashioned..."

Gold smirked. "I'll see to it, sweetheart."

* * *

><p>Knitting had never been a problem for Rumplestiltskin, though Mr. Gold did not have much cause to knit until the day Beatrice had asked for a Harry Potter scarf. Belle had found several online, but had also come across the patterns. It wasn't as if he did anything in the shop all day besides maintain appearances. One day he scared the living daylights out of the yarn shop proprietress by making a purchas and knitted one, then acted as if he had bought it. He didn't like asking Beatrice to lie, her life was bizarre enough and knitting was no hobby for Mr. Gold.<p>

Beatrice's current needs were eating up more of his time than he was used to and he went to work on it in the cellar a few hours after she went to bed.

"You knit?!"

Gold looked up. Beatrice was standing in the doorway of the cellar.

"Sweetheart, what are you doing out here?"

"Lady wanted out. I couldn't find you. You knit?"

He looked down at the needles and the blue yarn in his hands. It would be pointless to lie now.

"I do."

"Why haven't I ever seen you knit?"

An image flashed through his mind's eye of her crawling at his feet in the Enchanted Forest while he worked on a new pair of booties for her.

"I don't know," he lied.

"You could have said when you made the hats. Do you do anything else?"

"Yes," he said. "I made your blanket."

"Really?," asked Beatrice. "You never said."

Rumplestiltskin had toiled over that, seeking out the softest sheep's wool in the Enchanted Forest, spinning it and working in his gold thread with the white so that his magic could protect her. He remembered when he presented it to Belle, Beatrice was still inside her, having taken over her tiny frame. Belle had looked as pleased with it as any gift he had given her. He remembered her cooing to her swollen belly over what a lovely gift Papa had made her.

"You don't have to work on it all night," Beatrice said motioning at the beret.

He shook his head. "I don't mind it, sweetheart."

Lady barked, no doubt wanting back in her house and Beatrice's bed.

"Well, good night," said Beatrice.

Gold smiled. "Good night, sweetheart."

Beatrice stopped suddenly as she turned towards the stairs. She looked back at him skeptically.

"Why do we have a spinning wheel?"

"To make straw into gold?," he offered ruefully.

"Right..." said Beatrice as she went up the stairs. "Why else would we have it?"


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Notes: I do not own Once Upon A Time or Doctor Who. Thanks for the reads and reviews for this series. To try to make up for my recent illness and lack of updates, I am going to be putting up some Christmas treats. Some from prompts, some not. This first one is inspired by the fact that my mother holds Matt Smith personally responsible for her not getting a decent Christmas photo last year because everyone was crying. So, I guess spoilers for The End of Time and The Time of The Doctor? (Both of which can be found on Netflix or Hulu if you want.) Please let me know what you think and happy reading!

Also, Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah!

* * *

><p><strong>2 January 2010<strong>

It was a quiet winter evening as Gold sat in the library. He amused himself with the book Belle had given him for Christmas as she curled against him on the sofa with her own book.

Beatrice was safely amused watching her sorcerer show in the living room and there was still a Sunday until he had to return to the shop. For now, he could stay at home with his family.

Belle stopped reading.

"Rumple, is that crying?"

He stopped and listened. Belle flew to the living room and Gold grabbed his cane to be after her.

"Beatrice?"

The thirteen-year old was on the couch heaving great sobs as Lady looked on.

Belle hurried over. "Sweetheart? What happened?"

Beatrice struggled to compose herself. Gold immediately began looking around for signs of an intruder. He would kill anyone who had hurt her.

Beatrice finally composed herself. "The Doctor died!"

Gold glanced back at the television. Another episode of the space sorcerer show was coming on.

"Are we talking about the television show?," he asked.

"It's just he was... his song was ending and then... then he visited everybody... and then he was all alone and then he said... he didn't want to go..."

The last line elicited even heavier sobbing on Beatrice's part.

"I just mean, why?!"

"Oh, baby," said Belle, taking her into her arms, "it will be okay."

"No, it won't," said Beatrice pressed against her mother's chest. "Nothing will ever be okay again."

"Oh, sweetheart..."

"Beatrice, it is a TV show," said Gold.

Beatrice looked up at her father with a fiery look of defiance.

"Doctor Who is not a TV show!"

Taken aback, he looked helplessly at Belle.

She shook her head. "We went over this when Donna lost her memories."

"And like he visited her too and got her a lottery ticket and they were best friends..." Beatrice sobbed.

"Shh..." said Belle.

"And why did Wilf knock four times? The Doctor told him and everything. Then he knocks four times!"

"I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it," said Belle. Gold gave her a skeptical look and she shrugged at him.

* * *

><p><strong>December 25, 2013<strong>

Gold was not looking forward to this. He had in fact been dreading it since he found out about the departure of Matt Smith in August. He didn't even care for the ominous title: "The Time of the Doctor."

The Charmings and Regina were departing- why did all the holiday functions happen at his house, anyway? Of course the Charmings still lived in that ridiculous loft for some reason, but Regina's house was of a suitable size. He supposed it had to be the fear of poisoning.

"Rumple," said Belle. "I'm going to drive Grandmother home."

"Oh, don't leave me," said Gold.

"You'll be fine. Merlin, why don't you stay?"

Merlin shook his head. "No, see, I do the aftermath when she's ready to talk about it."

The elder sorcerer left and Belle turned to Gold.

"I'll be back as soon as I can, but we might drop by Uncle Ian's."

Gold sighed as Belle left. He found himself alone with two dogs, his daughter and a Doctor who was about to die.

"So," said Beatrice, "I made Dalek cookies."

Gold sat down in defeat.

Would it be too hard to get the boy who didn't know he was Sherlock Holmes here?

He decided that was a bad idea. The trauma of the event would probably only bond them further.

"Look," said Beatrice, "I know you think I'm going to freak out, but I can handle this."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I mean, I know he's going to die. I've known since August. It's what happens and I bet Peter Capaldi will be great. It is... a show."

He frowned at her.

"At least that's what I'm going to tell myself for the next hour and a half."

Gold watched as the show began and for a moment, he thought they were going to make it.

"But... but... he sent her away."

Beatrice's lip began to quiver.

Gold had a bad feeling, then it was confirmed.

Because the Doctor was trapped in this strange town enchanted to tell the truth- he briefly wondered if that was some spell he could figure out how to cast- and he got old.

Which somehow made dying worse in a way that Gold couldn't understand as Beatrice's chin wobbled.

Beatrice was already teary-eyed as she watched. "I mean, I didn't think he would get old... I was just preparing myself for something at the end."

"Uh-huh..."

Then he sent Clara away again. More tears. Then he went to face the Daleks as Clara begged some people in a crack in the wall for help. More tears. Then he had a last stand against the Daleks. More tears.

Gold was beginning to feel as if this Doctor was taking an inordinately long time to die.

He checked his watch. There was scarcely five minutes left.

This had to be it, right?

_"You're the Doctor."_

_"Yep and I always will be, but times change and so must I..."_

Then a little girl running through made Beatrice cry more.

_"We all change. When you think about it, we're all different people, all through our lives and that's okay, that's good, you got to keep moving so long as you remember all the people that you used to be. I will not forget one line of this. Not one day, I swear. I will always remember when the Doctor was me."_

Gold may or may not have been emotionally moved by this part. He could remember the many people he had been throughout his unnaturally long life. Some he could only wish to go back to and some... some he would never go back to.

This contemplation was interrupted by the outburst of tears Beatrice had when the girl he recognized from previous episodes appeared and said, _"Raggedy man, good night."_

Then he took off his bow tie.

And basically all hell broke loose.

The show finally ended just as Belle returned.

"Did I miss it?," asked Belle.

"It was so much worse than I imagined..." Beatrice shook her head as she sobbed. "I should have checked tumblr..."

Belle looked at Gold.

"Rumple, are you alright?"

He scoffed. "Of course I am."

"It's just... Did you cry?"

Beatrice stopped her own sobbing and looked at her father's face.

She pointed accusatorily. "That is a tear!"

"Rumple, you cried?," asked Belle.

"Of course not! The Dark One doesn't cry!"

Belle rolled her eyes at him.

Beatrice wasn't buying it, either.

"What part made you cry?," she demanded.

"If you'll excuse me, I'm going to bed," he declared.

"Rumple, it's just we've never seen you cry," said Belle.

Gold walked out.

Beatrice looked up at Belle.

"Rewind it," said Belle taking off her coat as she sat. "We'll try to figure out what it was."


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Notes: I do not own Once Upon A Time. Merry Christmas Eve, possibly Christmas. Hope you had a good Hanukkah. Thanks for the reads and reviews.

Little Letters Writer gave me the next prompt, basically what if Regina tried to abolish all the fun in cursed Storybrooke? Basically, have a Merry Christmas and if you don't celebrate that, have a great whatever or just have a nice day off and get some Chinese food and go to a movie. Anyway, please let me know what you think and happy reading!

* * *

><p><em><strong>2002<strong>_

Beatrice walked into the library with Pamela. Belle got up from the circulation desk with her arms outstretched.

"There's my baby!," said Belle, kneeling on the floor to hug her. She planted a big kiss on her cheek. "How was school?"

"There's no Christmas."

Belle shook her head. "What? Of course there's a Christmas!"

Pamela retrieved a note from Beatrice's backpack. "The school sent this home. There's to be no Christmas party, no mentions of Christmas at the school or any Christmas treats sent from home."

Belle took the note in disbelief.

"There's no lights at City Hall..." said Beatrice.

Just then Mary Margaret Blanchard entered. Belle turned to her with the note.

"Mary Margaret, do you know about this?"

The woman looked apologetic. "Mayor Mills' office made the school send it out. Something about not wanting to get involved in a lawsuit."

"What lawsuit?!," exclaimed Belle.

"The kind of lawsuit towns across the country have been victim to from groups that felt they were being discriminated against, Mrs. Gold," said Regina.

Mary Margaret stiffened as they looked up to see the mayor had joined them. Regina idly fingered one of the statues of penguins clad in Santa caps Belle had placed on the counter.

"For example, this won't do." Regina motioned with distaste at the figurines.

"Excuse me?," asked Belle.

"Well, the library is a part of the city, isn't it? This is very obviously a Christmas display."

Belle narrowed her eyes at Regina. "You know very well that no one is going to sue the city."

"And how would I know that?"

Belle scowled.

"Therefore you'll take down all the Christmas displays immediately."

"Mommy, no," said Beatrice.

"You know just because you had a miserable childhood doesn't mean that you should ruin it for everyone else," said Belle. "And you have Henry now, how can you do this?"

"I don't want my son to believe in things that don't exist," said Regina. "And I would caution you from saying what you think you know about my childhood."

"Or you'll do what?," asked Belle.

"I'll fire you."

"I don't think that's a battle you want to fight."

Regina turned to Beatrice.

"Santa's not real."

The little girl gasped as Regina walked out.

"Mommy?"

"No, sweetheart, of course he's real," said Belle. "Regina's just mad because he never came to her house."

"Why not?"

"It had to do with her mother, I think?," Belle said, stumbling over her response.

"Do you need help taking this stuff down?," asked Mary Margaret.

Belle turned to Mary Margaret. "Oh, no, I'm not taking anything down. In fact, I'm going to put more up and I'm going to remake the library calendar. We're going to have a very busy December."

"What about Regina, though?," asked Mary Margaret. "I have read about cities getting those kinds of lawsuits."

"Well, then, I guess I am just going to celebrate every holiday."

* * *

><p>A couple weeks later, Regina stormed into the library.<p>

"What is going on?," she demanded.

Belle stood. "I am so sorry for the interruption. I'll be right back with you, Rabbi."

Belle walked over to the mayor.

"I'm sorry, Madame Mayor, we're having an activity. Rabbi Bernstein from Storybrooke Synagogue-"

Regina frowned. "We have a synagogue?"

"Really, Madame Mayor, I can't believe you didn't know. Anyway, since Hanukkah is going on, I thought it would be good for the children to learn about it. We're having a story and we're going to play with dreidels."

Regina leaned in. "Do you really think you can win this way, dear?"

"It's part of our month long celebration of holidays here at the library," said Belle. "Sister Astrid is coming to tell the children the Christmas story. You missed our story time for Ramadan. We'll have story times for Yule and Kwanzaa and New Year's, not to mention the displays we have for holidays from around the world."

Regina looked around and fumed.

"And what if somebody doesn't want to celebrate anything?"

"We're having cookies and cocoa on the twenty-seventh for no particular reason." Belle took a breath. "So I don't possibly see how our display could make anyone feel left out."

"Is this what the imp sees in you?," asked Regina. "Your infuriating, unrelenting optimism?"

Belle shook her head. "How did you ever get this way?"

"This isn't over," Regina promised. "Not in the least."

"I'll be here," said Belle.

* * *

><p>The next week Belle stood in the front yard with Beatrice and put up a display of Santa and his reindeer.<p>

"Excuse me, miss? Is this your house?"

Belle turned to see a frowning little man with some kind of notepad.

"Yes."

"And your name?"

"Isabelle Gold."

He paused, but shook his head as he scribbled on the pad. "You're going to have to take these lights down."

"What?," asked Belle.

"And the decorations."

"This is my house!"

"The city council has just designated this neighborhood historic and these decorations are against code."

"Against code?! And I suppose this was Mayor Mills' idea?"

Belle felt Beatrice tugging at the bottom of her jacket. She looked down.

"Mommy, if we take down the lights how will Santa find us?," asked Beatrice.

"Sounds like a personal problem, kid," said the man as he handed Belle a ticket.

"Five hundred dollar fine?!," Belle shouted after the little man as he walked away. "This is not over!"

* * *

><p>Regina sat in her office and worked. She had made her counter-move and the little bookworm hadn't done anything yet. She was beaten.<p>

"Madame Mayor," her secretary interrupted, "Mr. Gold is here."

Except there was that counter-move.

Regina froze. "Right. Send him in."

The secretary left. If he talked to her, he was most likely going to say "please" and then the game would be over. Regina immediately bailed for the other door of her office only to find Gold waiting.

"Hiding from me, Regina?" He shook his head and tsked. "Really, dearie?"

"I was just on my way out-"

"Have a seat. Please."

Regina helplessly sat on one of the sofas. Gold stood in front of her.

"I think this little game between you and Belle has gone far enough, don't you?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"Oh, don't flatter yourself, dearie. Subtlety was never your strong suit."

"Your home is in a designated historic district-"

"Enough, dearie. I don't care about historic districts or liabilities or anything else. What I care about is Beatrice's happiness and we both know the only reason you took away Christmas is to try and make everyone else as miserable as you are."

"I am not miserable! I have everything I ever wanted!"

A smirk played at Gold's lips. "Is that so?"

Regina glared at him.

"So, you're going to repeal your earlier Christmas bans. You're even going to put up the decorations outside City Hall. Furthermore, there will be no fines levied-"

"He already wrote the ticket-"

"Please."

Regina stiffened, the Curse compelling her. She stood.

"Oh, wait, there's more-"

"You can't be serious," said Regina.

"You're going to go home and put up a tree and buy your boy a lot of presents and say they're from Santa, please."

"You bastard."

Gold shrugged. "I'm just trying to help the lad. It's hard enough being your son, there's no need to worsen that by having your mother come out."

Gold walked out. "Merry Christmas, dearie."

* * *

><p>"There, sweetheart, what do we think?," asked Belle.<p>

Beatrice appraised the house from between her parents on the sidewalk, shining with lights and the veritable statuary of snowmen, reindeer, penguins, polar bears and Santa in the front yard.

"You're not going to get in trouble, are you?"

Gold chuckled. "Oh, no, little one. Madame Mayor will be the one who's in trouble if she tries to take away Christmas."

Beatrice looked up at Belle inquisitively.

"Daddy has fixed everything with the mayor," said Belle.

Beatrice looked up to Gold. "How?"

"Well, sweetheart, I asked nicely and I said 'please.'"

"Can we go look at Christmas lights?," asked Beatrice.

"I don't see why not," said Gold.

"Mommy's so sorry, but I have to go back to the library for a function."

Gold frowned. "What holiday is it now?"

"It's National Date Nut Bread Day," said Belle.

"There's a day for that?," asked Gold.

Belle shrugged. "When I looked online, I didn't know which holidays I could skip. Now I have to host some sort of bread competition."

Gold shook his head. "You really ought to have come to me first."


	8. Chapter 8

Author's Notes: I do not own Once Upon A Time. Merry Christmas or Happy Doctor Who Day! There was a request that we wanted some more Toddler! Beatrice. Please let me know what you think and happy reading!

* * *

><p><em><strong>1999<strong>_

"Is it my turn yet?"

Belle looked down and smiled. "Not yet, baby. All those people are in line ahead of us. All of these children want to talk to Santa Claus."

Gold rolled his eyes. Belle had spent the past few days heightening Beatrice's anticipation of this curious ritual. For a Land Without Magic, they were so eager to believe it existed. Beatrice was to meet Santa Claus- in reality he had been Eidelweiss' brewer - and convey to him all her wishes. That was why they were waiting in line at Al's Toy Barn with the rest of town, it seemed. As Beatrice's father, he was then expected to fulfill the said wishes himself and let the fat man in the suit have all the credit.

Belle was, of course, taken with the prospect. She and Merlin had outlined plans involving some sort of ruse with cookies and milk and carrots.

He could, of course, just choose not to partake in the ritual, but Belle and her father had assured him that certainly was not an option as it would surely make her a social outcast. Merlin also seemed convinced that the Dark Princess needed to believe in something because imagination was a quality sincerely lacking in Storybrooke.

"Daddy, do you know Santa?"

Gold looked down.

"I'm afraid I haven't had the pleasure."

"Doesn't he pay you?"

Belle chimed in. "Santa lives at the North Pole, remember? Daddy doesn't own that."

"Oh, right," said Beatrice, holding their hands as they shuffled forward.

Finally, the moment arrived when it was Beatrice's turn. She was a bit nervous when finally faced with the reality of the endeavor and Belle had to coax her up. After she listed what she wanted, the whole process finally concluded.

"Daddy, do you think Santa will come?," Beatrice asked looking uncertain.

"Of course he will," answered Belle. "He said he would."

* * *

><p><strong>Christmas Eve<strong>

Gold sat on the bed and wondered why he couldn't just go to sleep.

"She's not going to wake up," said Gold.

Belle stood by the door, straining to hear the room next door.

"I want to be sure, Rumple. She can't see it's us."

Belle cracked open the door. She motioned for Gold to follow her as if they were escaping a prison guard. He got up and she turned.

"You can't use the cane!," she hissed.

"What?," asked Gold.

"You know she has a sixth sense when it comes to the cane!"

Gold had to admit Belle was right. When he got up in the middle of the night for one reason or another, Beatrice did have the habit of finding him in every corner of the house.

"Here, walk with me," Belle said quickly, motioning for him to lean on her which was not altogether unpleasant.

They slipped down the hall. Belle cracked open the door to Beatrice's room. The three year old was curled up in her blanket clutching her lamb.

Belle quietly shut the door and they made their way down the staircase. The Christmas tree was in the living room, set just in front of the window. Gold sat on the end of the sofa.

"Okay," said Belle, "I'm going to run to the cellar and get the gifts. You work on the milk and cookies and make it look like the reindeer ate the carrots."

"How would the reindeer get in the house?"

Belle threw back one of his own hand gestures at him. "Magic."

He rolled his eyes as Belle covered her mouth to stifle her giggle. She threw her arms around him and kissed him.

"I'm sorry, it's just so funny to hear you talk about this."

"Mm-hmm, why don't you get those presents?"

She kissed him again and scurried off. Gold went to work on the milk and cookies and carrots.

Belle took several trips to get everything from the cellar. The first was for the pink tricycle they had bought her. The next was for an absurdly sized teddy bear that Belle had decided Beatrice had to have. The third was for several large shopping bags that Belle had put the gift-wrapped presents in. She gave him a bag of trinkets and candies to put in the stocking. Belle artfully arranged them and flipped on the Christmas lights.

"How does it look?," asked Belle. She turned to him. "It doesn't quite look magical, does it?"

Gold shrugged.

"Well, don't you have any ideas?"

"Why would I have ideas?"

"Because you're supposed to be a sorcerer."

"Supposed to be? I recall an ogre problem a young maiden needed help with. However did that end?"

Belle shook her head. "It just seems like something's missing."

He gave her a peck on the cheek. "It looks beautiful. Come on. Let's go to bed."

* * *

><p><strong>Christmas Day<strong>

"It's Christmas! Christmas!"

Beatrice's herald was the only warning Gold and Belle had before their daughter launched herself into their bed.

Gold looked. "Beatrice, it's five. It's too early."

"But it's Christmas!" She crawled over to bed. "Mommy, it's Christmas."

Belle had the nerve to still be groggy. "Tell Daddy."

Beatrice padded back. "Daddy. It's Christmas."

"Too early," he said, closing his eyes.

This was when Beatrice decided chest compressions were necessary.

"Alright, we're getting up..."

Belle got up and found the camera then they headed downstairs. Beatrice rushed in ahead and Gold was surprised by the pitch of her squeals of delight.

"A bike!," she said, rushing towards the tricycle with the big bow. "A teddy!"

She threw her arms around the toy, not reaching by a long shot.

She then caught sight of the empty plate and glass. Beatrice gasped.

"Look! Santa had my cookies!"

"Wow," said Belle.

"Look, Daddy! The reindeer ate my carrots!," she said pointing at the leftover greens.

"Yes," said Gold. "They must have been very hungry flying so far."

Belle looked at him with a surprised smile. Beatrice scurried back to her bear.

Gold sat in an armchair facing the tree. Belle sat on the arm.

"Someone's changing his attitude..." said Belle.

He motioned at Beatrice as she rummaged through the gifts.

"Does that look magical enough for you now?," he asked.

Belle considered the view and smiled back at him.

"Yes. Yes, it does."

They kissed and turned back to their daughter who still had not opened anything, content to stare at the shiny paper.

Belle laughed. "Beatrice, sweetheart, you can actually open the presents now."

"Oh," said Beatrice as if this were a new idea. "Okay."


	9. Chapter 9

Author's Notes: I do not own Once Upon A Time. Thanks for the reads and reviews for the holiday fics. There are some prompts I haven't gotten to but they're coming. This is Bea's POV for "The Price of Gold." Please let me know what you think and happy reading!

* * *

><p>Friday night. Beatrice was doing just what every fifteen year old wanted to do when her nanny had the night off.<p>

Hanging out at the library with her mom.

"Beatrice..." said Belle. "Get your things. I am almost ready to go."

Beatrice took out her earbud and paused the Downton Abbey she had been watching on her iPad.

"He's late," said Beatrice.

Belle looked at her watch. "You're right. Come on. He's probably just gotten lost in something at the shop. We'll go meet him and then we can go to George's Taverna."

"Greek? Really?"

Belle smiled. "Now I have your attention."

* * *

><p>Beatrice packed up her red bag and waited as Belle locked up. Then they began the short walk to the pawn shop.<p>

Belle froze as they approached the door and Beatrice wondered at the reason until she saw the broken glass of the door.

"Wait here," said Belle.

"But-"

Belle shot her a look to dissuade further argument and gingerly opened the door to tiptoe inside.

She disappeared for a second, then Beatrice heard her call out.

"Gods! Rumple!"

What the hell did rumple mean? Like a shirt? Was that a thing? The tone of her outburst made Beatrice rush in. She founde her mother crouched next to her dad on the floor. He was moaning something incomprehensible as her mother fussed.

"Dad?"

"What happened?," asked Belle, trying to help him sit up. She brushed aside his hair to see a big gash and gasped. "Beatrice, call an ambulance."

"Do not call an ambulance," said Gold.

"You are not invincible here," said Belle.

"Well, let's not play into Regina's hand then."

Beatrice shook her head. "So, am I calling an ambulance or not?"

"Ashley Boyd sprayed me with mace, I hit my head. I'm fine."

"You are not fine!," said Belle.

"You got maced by the pregnant girl?," asked Beatrice. She only knew the teenager by sight. She was a maid and sometimes at Granny's and always seemed to get Beatrice's order wrong. Still, she hadn't seemed like the type to break into a pawn shop.

Gold shot her a look. "Watch it."

Belle looked up at her. "Beatrice, go get a wet washcloth."

Beatrice went back to the little washroom in the back of the shop. As she returned, she heard her parents having the world's strangest conversation.

"You should call Graham," said Belle.

"Why should I when it will achieve absolutely nothing?"

"And what are you going to do then? Go after her yourself?"

"And what would that gain? No, I'm going to have Miss Swan go after her."

"Why would she do that?"

"Why would Miss Swan help a pregnant teenager faced with giving up her baby?"

"Rumple, that's too far..." she warned.

"Belle, sweetheart, the only way things change is if Miss Swan stays here and does what she's meant to do and break the-"

He stopped as he spotted Beatrice standing in the doorway.

Belle glanced back.

"Sweetheart," said Gold. He motioned for her to come towards him. "Don't worry. I'm fine. Really."

"Here," said Belle, taking the washcloth and dabbing at Gold's face.

* * *

><p>Beatrice prepared herself for her usual Saturday plans: Apple TV hooked up to the big TV in the living room, snacks and British television. She sat down on the sofa next to Lady and pondered whether she should watch Downton Abbey or Sherlock first.<p>

She began to sense her plans were about to hit a snag when she heard her mother chiding her father.

"You can't drive," Belle insisted.

"Of course I can."

Belle looked at Beatrice. "Sweetheart, why don't you drive Dad? I have to open the library today."

Beatrice looked longingly at the TV.

"But..." She motioned at the black screen. "Downton. Pretty clothes, Maggie Smith one-liners, Harriet Jones."

Gold tried to interject. "Belle, she's just learning-"

Belle shot him a look. "She hasn't had a head injury in the past twelve hours! She's more than capable of driving you to meet Miss Swan."

Beatrice turned around. She still hadn't met the woman. She was Henry Mills' birth mom and the general topic of town gossip at the moment.

"What are you doing with her?," Beatrice asked.

"Nothing," said Gold. "I just have a business proposition for her."

* * *

><p>The first stop had been to Mary Margaret Blanchard's apartment where Beatrice had to wait in the car. Her father returned and then they spent some time with her attempting to learn to park the behemoth Cadillac before they went to the shop. Marco was there to fix the door and Gold set to repairing the damage to the items in the shop. Beatrice settled in back with an iPad full of Downton Abbey. After a while, she returned to the front of the shop.<p>

"So, how's the whole concussion thing going?"

Gold looked up with a slight smile.

"What are you asking?"

"Would a Starbucks help it?"

The phone rang. Gold walked over and picked it up.

"Hello."

He turned away from Beatrice as he spoke in a low voice. A minute later, he turned back.

"We need to go to the hospital," he announced.

"Concussion not going well?"

"No. Ms. Boyd is there. I can get my property." He handed her the keys for the Cadillac.

"Right..." said Beatrice. "So, you hit your head and fall unconscious, no hospital. Pregnant girl goes there, we have to go."

"You know you have a lot of opinions for a chauffeur," said Gold. "You remind me of a maid I used to have."

* * *

><p>Beatrice had made the mistake of actually going in the hospital with her dad. When they found Miss Swan, she had to watch as she drank bad coffee while her father negotiated. The story was he had actually bought the girl's baby or something. After he agreed to back off, they returned to the Cadillac. Before she could set off, Beatrice felt the need to digest it.<p>

"So," said Beatrice, "that was weird."

Gold turned. "I'm sorry if that was uncomfortable for you, but it was necessary."

"So, you're like a baby broker?" She paused to consider. "How is that even a viable thing? Like Ashley's been pregnant since I can remember..."

"Admittedly, that line of business has been a bit slow, but things have recently changed. It was a trade I used to deal in quite a bit actually."

She wrinkled her forehead. "People used to sell you their kids?"

"Sell, trade, etcetera. Some people just don't have the proper value for their children. They were usually better off with the families I found for them."

"And Ashley? What's the deal with her?"

Gold paused as Beatrice watched. He was considering something.

"Miss Boyd was looking for a way out of her harsh life. She signed a contract, I gave her a way out and when the time came to pay up, she tried to get out of her end. You know I don't like when people try to break deals with me."

"Then why did you let her out of it for just a favor?"

Gold smiled. "That favor is of much more use to me than Miss Boyd's spawn."

Beatrice turned back to the matter of starting the car. As she did, Emma came out with Henry, running towards a yellow bug. She looked back at her father.

He seemed pleased.

"What's so important about her?"

"I wouldn't worry about it, sweetheart. Now, come on, Starbucks."

"Yeah," agreed Beatrice. "I need to get the taste of machine coffee out of my mouth."


	10. Chapter 10

Author's Notes: I do not own Once Upon A Time. Thanks for your reads and reviews. They mean a lot, as do any prompts you might have for this set. So, Little Letters Writers asked me for something involving Beatrice wanting a sibling. I don't know if this is what she intended, but it's what I came up with. Please let me know what you think and happy reading!

* * *

><p><em><strong>2001<strong>_

Belle curled back against Gold. It was a chilly autumn night and the family was tucked away for a quiet evening at home. Beatrice was watching Beauty and the Beast for the billionth time. Belle was reading as Gold just drew lazy circles on her arm.

Beatrice laid in front of the television with Lady watching again as her parents' film counterparts played in the snow.

"I don't remember this part," Gold said, motioning with his tumbler of scotch at the screen.

Belle giggled. "I don't remember you so hairy."

Suddenly, Beatrice paused the TV and marched back towards her parents.

"What is it, sweetheart?," asked Gold. "Would you like a snack?"

"I want a baby sister."

They both froze for a moment. Belle put down her book and sat up straight. Gold finished off the tumbler.

"Beatrice," said Belle, "why would you say that?"

"Because I do."

* * *

><p>After they made their excuses, gave Beatrice a cookie and set her back in front of the movie, Gold and Belle shut themselves in the library.<p>

"This world..." he grimaced.

"What do you mean?"

"The things they expose their children to."

Belle rolled her eyes. "What? Like antibiotics and vaccinations?"

"This baby talk."

"Rumple, I don't think that's what she was asking. I think she was just asking for a sibling." She took a breath and tried to smile. "We could tell her about Bae-"

"No," he said decisively.

"Why not?"

"Don't you think she'll have other questions to follow that up?"

"Fine," said Belle. "Our other choice is to tell her that we can't have a baby because time is stopped here for everyone but her."

Gold stopped and turned. "Is that the only reason?"

"What?"

"If things were different, would you want us to have another child?"

Belle froze.

"Didn't think so..." said Gold.

"Rumple, I just never thought of it before..." She walked over to him and put her hands on his chest. "Beatrice and everything happened so quickly for us. I never had a chance to think about it."

"And if you had?"

"When I was a girl, I watched women all around me who were treated as little more than brood mares by their husbands. I never wanted that for myself, but you dote on Beatrice. You never just leave me to take care of her on my own. If I was going to have more babies with anyone, I would want it to be you." She smiled. "You?"

"Oh, Belle..." He pulled her hand to his lips to kiss it. "I would love any child you wanted to give me."

Belle smiled at him again, trying to hold back tears in her eyes. She stood on her tiptoes to kiss him and he reciprocated. They wrapped themselves around each other and began to duel tongues.

There was an insistent banging on the library door.

"Mommy! Daddy! Do I get a sister or not?!"

They broke apart.

"Not by interrupting us you don't..." Gold muttered.

Belle lightly smacked him on the arm and went to open the door.

"Come here, baby," she said, picking up Beatrice and walking over to the library's overstuffed leather sofa. Gold sat down next to them. Belle brushed Beatrice's hair out of her face. "A baby sister isn't just something we can go out and get. It takes a lot of work."

"Well, go work..." said Beatrice.

Gold cringed. "Matters are complicated, sweetheart."

"Daddy and I happen to think our family is perfect just as it is for the moment," said Belle. "It doesn't mean that won't ever change, but it's not going to change right now."

Beatrice's face fell.

"Sweetheart?," asked Gold.

Beatrice began sobbing.

"Oh, baby," said Belle, squeezing her tighter. "Beatrice, it's alright. Daddy and I never had a brother or sister. You get to have us all to yourself, that's not so bad, is it?"

She still sobbed. Belle looked desperately to Gold as he squeezed her from the other side.

"Maybe if you told us why you want a little sister so badly we could help you," said Belle.

"I want..." She sniffled as she often did when she couldn't stop crying. "A friend."

"A friend?," asked Gold. "You can have other friends."

Beatrice shook her head. "Nobody will be my friend. Your sister has to be your friend."

"I could think of a few arguments against that..." Gold muttered.

"You're not being helpful," Belle whispered. She looked back at Beatrice. "You're young. You'll make friends."

"No! Nobody wants to be my friend!"

Belle took a breath.

"Then I feel sorry for them."

The seemingly out of place comment was enough for Gold and Beatrice to both look up at her in confusion.

"What?," asked Gold.

Belle reached down to the coffee table and plucked a tissue from its box. She started cleaning up Beatrice's face.

"I feel sorry for them because they won't get to be your friend and they're going to miss out on being friends with the most wonderful girl in the world. Their lives will be so much poorer for it and they'll never even realize it. Understood?"

Beatrice nodded.

"Come on," said Gold, taking his daughter's hand. "I'm sure your movie is waiting."

She grimaced. "I hate Gaston."

"Yes, he always was an idiot..."

Belle cleared her throat.

"Come along," said Gold quickly ushering her away.


	11. Chapter 11

Author's Notes: I do not own Once Upon A Time. Now Nameless Wildflower asked for Beatrice to give Gold and Belle sentimental gifts, which was meant to be a holiday prompt, but this is what I came up with. Anyway, please let me know what you think and happy reading!

_Disney Fact Check: Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom didn't start until 2012, but this was funnier. Those candy apples cost $10, but are huge and totally worth it. Also, remember Beatrice doesn't know Merlin as Merlin, but Grandpa Colin, but I've been calling him Merlin except from her POV so... Oh and only three hotels have the monorail. Some people think it's all of them, just don't get there and be sad because All Star Movies wasn't. All Star Movies is a cute little hotel, though. Okay, I think that's enough..._

* * *

><p><em><strong>2003<strong>_

Belle checked her watch again.

"What time was the flight getting in to Boston?"

"Belle, he has to drive here still."

Belle paced the living room. Five days. Her father had taken Beatrice for five days on a trip to Disney World since they were unaffected by Regina's curse. It was the longest she had ever been away from her baby and as she neared the end, she felt as if she was going to disintegrate from the strain.

"Belle, she's fine."

"What were we thinking letting her go to a far off land like Florida?"

There was a frantic knock at the door. Lady ran towards the door.

"Mommy! I'm home! Let me in!"

Belle ran to the door, not even pausing between the time she opened it and grabbed Beatrice.

"Beatrice! I missed you so much!"

Gold got up from the sofa to join them as Merlin carried in Beatrice's little pink suitcase and a Disney tote bag bursting with souvenirs.

"Did you have fun, sweetheart?," asked Gold.

"Uh-huh."

"Are you serious? We had nonstop fun," said Merlin. "From the time the plane landed."

"Grandpa and I went everywhere!"

"Well, I want to hear all about it," said Belle, leading Beatrice to the sofa.

Beatrice began recounting her tale as Lady jumped all over her, from her first breakfast with Mickey and Minnie, how the monorail went from their hotel straight to the park, how they saw animals, met Winnie the Pooh and rode into space. Of course the main attraction was the Princesses. She pulled out a pink autograph book with the Disney Princesses on the cover.

"What is this?," asked Gold, pulling some sort of an objet in a white paper box from the tote bag.

Merlin glanced over. "That is a candy apple made to look like Winnie the Pooh."

"And we went to a tea party!," Beatrice added.

"You did?," asked Belle.

"Uh-huh. We had cakes and tea and Princess Aurora was there."

"Was she?"

"We also met the Queen of Hearts," said Merlin looking at Gold.

"Was that really necessary?," asked Gold.

"Most definitely."

"You know who we met?!," asked Beatrice.

"Who?"

"Belle! Princess Belle. I told her my mommy was named Belle."

"Oh, what did she think?"

"And I told her you like books and she thought you two should be friends."

"Well, that would be interesting," said Belle.

"I got you a present."

"Oh, baby, you didn't have to do that," said Belle.

Beatrice dug in the tote bag for an odd shape buried deep in tissue paper. She presented it to Belle who unwrapped it to find a music box with figurines of Beauty and the Beast on top.

"Oh, my goodness," said Belle, staring at this world's version of herself.

"It does the song!," said Beatrice, twisting the little gold knob to make the figures dance to their song. She beamed at Belle. "Do you like it?"

Belle looked over at Gold's dismayed look.

"It is wonderful, sweetheart and it was so kind of you to think of us," said Belle. "I am going to put this on the night table in my bedroom."

"What's this?," asked Gold, finding some cards that read "Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom."

"That was nothing," said Merlin.

"Oh. That was the game Grandpa hated," said Beatrice.

"Did he now, sweetheart?," asked Gold.

Merlin shook his head. "That was a blip. I bought her some mouse ears, we worked through it."

"Merlin was supposed to train us to be sorcerers and beat the bad guys, but Grandpa said it was stupid," Beatrice pouted.

"All I said was that I-" he paused. "That Merlin would never have a beard like that and walk around in a nightdress."

"Really?," asked Gold. He turned to his daughter. "Beatrice, I want you to tell me all about this Merlin."

Merlin stood. "I'm going home to try and get Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah out of my head."

"Thank you again for taking her," said Belle.

"Thank you, Grandpa," said Beatrice.

"You're welcome, sweetheart," said Merlin. He leaned down to Gold and whispered. "They will get round to you one day, sunshine."

* * *

><p><em><strong>2010<strong>_

Gold watched in disbelief as Shrek Forever After played on the television. It was a rainy afternoon and Beatrice thought she might as well watch the cartoon.

"This is ridiculous!"

Beatrice snorted. "I know, right? They were totally stretching to make a sequel out of this plot."

"Why would there be a loophole in the contract?!," Gold shouted. "True Love's Kiss can't change time!"

Beatrice frowned. "Dad, what are you talking about?"

"And that hair..." Gold said with disgust.

"You seem really upset about this."

"I'm not, I just-" He groaned and got off the sofa. "I need a scotch."


End file.
